davidhyi Posted August 25, 2012 Share Posted August 25, 2012 Hi all, i was in the process of to replacing the transfer case fluid with Matic D. The end of the 3/8" breaker bar broke inside the fill plug! The remnants of the breaker bar is pretty well jammed in the fill plug. The drain plug strangely was easily loosened. Wondering if this has happened to anyone ? I'm thinking maybe theres an alternative way to fill the t-case? Although eventually i'd like to figure out how to get the plug out, my primary concern right now is to find a way to fill the t case with oil so I can drive. Thanks for any help! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nunya Posted August 25, 2012 Share Posted August 25, 2012 I know hindsight IS 20/20 but there IS a correct tool/socket set for this as the plug is actually 13mm and breaker bars/ratchets run more a risk of stripping the plug. I personally think your gonna be SOL though until you get the fill plug out, or roll the truck on its roof and start pumpin some in Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pathfounder Posted August 25, 2012 Share Posted August 25, 2012 Hindsight would tell you that you always open the filler first so that if this happens, you still have fluid and can drive it. Doesn't matter now though. I think you are going to have to get creative and install some sort of valve and pump fluid back into it, or get the filler out and go from there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ahardb0dy Posted August 25, 2012 Share Posted August 25, 2012 I thought the drain/fill plugs were closer in size to the 1/2" extension size, than the 3/8? unless the OP typed 3/8" by mistake Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Towncivilian Posted August 25, 2012 Share Posted August 25, 2012 The drain plugs are 13mm, but 1/2" (12.7mm) is close enough most of the time. Harbor Freight has a drain plug socket set which includes a 13mm drain plug which I've used with success. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Camelfilter Posted August 25, 2012 Share Posted August 25, 2012 Ouch! I havent done my transfer case yet, so I don't know how much room we have down there to work with...any chance of having the broken tool welded onto the plug? Then welding a bit to that to turn the plug out? -I've read that can be done with stripped REAR differential fill plug... Again-ouch!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidhyi Posted August 26, 2012 Author Share Posted August 26, 2012 thanks all for the replies. didnt know there was a separate tool for these plugs. will take the approach of trying to get the broken piece out first and using the right tool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ahardb0dy Posted August 26, 2012 Share Posted August 26, 2012 anyone know what the thread is on the plugs? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stioc Posted August 27, 2012 Share Posted August 27, 2012 Yes your best option is to try and get the broken piece out without damaging plug. If you can post a pic of how it's stuck we might be able to offer some suggestions. Hindsight would tell you that you always open the filler first so that if this happens, you still have fluid and can drive it. Doesn't matter now though. ^^ x2 The drain plugs are 13mm, but 1/2" (12.7mm) is close enough most of the time. Harbor Freight has a drain plug socket set which includes a 13mm drain plug which I've used with success. I used the HF set and even with the right socket set I had to use a 24" breaker bar and quite a lot of force to get the plugs loosened. I was worried that I'd crack the cast-aluminum housing right at the fill plug, in the end PB Blaster and a heat gun helped getting the fill/drain plugs off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Towncivilian Posted August 27, 2012 Share Posted August 27, 2012 I too used a breaker bar, but no PB Blaster since both my drain & fill plugs were new and had only 13k miles on them and Teflon tape on the threads. The plugs loosened fairly easily. PB Blaster or some other penetrating lubricant is always a good idea though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Splish Posted September 26, 2012 Share Posted September 26, 2012 Hi all, i was in the process of to replacing the transfer case fluid with Matic D. The end of the 3/8" breaker bar broke inside the fill plug! The remnants of the breaker bar is pretty well jammed in the fill plug. The drain plug strangely was easily loosened. Wondering if this has happened to anyone ? I'm thinking maybe theres an alternative way to fill the t-case? Although eventually i'd like to figure out how to get the plug out, my primary concern right now is to find a way to fill the t case with oil so I can drive. Thanks for any help! This has happened to me. The aluminum t case combined with a steel filler plug leads to trouble. They cease up all the time and usually require a torch to loosen them. However, its not easy getting a torch up in there. I did snap a 13mm tool off in mine before. So I went and bought a new filler plug, then welded an old socket to the filler plug. The heat from the weld was enough to loosen it up and then I spun it out. Put the new filler plug in with a little anti-sieze on the threads and it has been very good ever since. I change my fluids once a month, and now I apply anti-sieze to the threads of all my filler and drain plugs. Just a tiny bit though, don't go crazy with the stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XPLORx4 Posted September 26, 2012 Share Posted September 26, 2012 I change my fluids once a month, and now I apply anti-sieze to the threads of all my filler and drain plugs. The recommended change interval for diff and tranny fluid is 30K miles (48K km). You must drive a heck of a lot! Or is there some other reason why you replace the fluid so often? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Splish Posted September 27, 2012 Share Posted September 27, 2012 The recommended change interval for diff and tranny fluid is 30K miles (48K km). You must drive a heck of a lot! Or is there some other reason why you replace the fluid so often? I run through Northern Ontario a lot in the summer. Many water crossings, and submerge my difs all the time, so I change out the fluid. I think the t case has a breather line on it, but have never really checked, so I change that too just to be safe. In the winter I don't change it at all as I am not up there. Eventually, I will get my ass in gear and put breather lines on my difs. I have also seen these awesome little plastic accordian style things that go on the difs that expand and contract to let air in and out, yet are completely sealed so water and debris can't get in. I saw them once on a website for Toyotas, but can't seem to find them now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XPLORx4 Posted September 27, 2012 Share Posted September 27, 2012 Found it! Creeper Breather Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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